The invention relates to a mount method and a mount device, in which filament-shaped connecting bodies made of a synthetic resin and comprising a filament, a head provided on one end of the filament and with a latch hole, and a joining part provided on the other end of the filament and adapted to be securedly fitted into the latch hole of the head are used, and the joining part is securedly fitted into the latch hole of the head to connect the filament in a ring-shaped manner to thereby mount an indication card such as a price tag or the like, to connect two or more articles together and further to connect connecting bodies themselves together, and to filament-shaped connecting bodies.
As proposed by the applicant of this application in, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 8473/1982, filament-shaped connecting bodies made of a synthetic resin are provided by integral molding of a filament part, which is provided at one end thereof with an annular-shaped head (female part) and at the other end thereof with a joining part (male part), from an industrial synthetic resin such as nylon, polypropylene or the like, and by stretching the filament part to increase strength thereof and to make a cross section thereof small to make the same pliable, and the product according to the invention of the Publication is widely commercially available as xe2x80x9cLocksxe2x80x9d (trade mark) in Japan and in the world to be used for various applications such as mounting of a price tag or the like.
The head is annular or cylindrical in shape and is formed centrally therethrough with a latch hole, which is formed in a middle portion thereof with a diametrically extending, annular engagement step. Meanwhile, the joining part includes a neck dimensioned to pass through the engagement step, and latch pieces projecting on both sides of the neck in a vane-like configuration, the latch pieces being supported by and engaged with the engagement step.
Such filament-shaped connecting body is such that in a state, in which the filament part is made to encircle a part of goods to be formed in a ring-shape, the joining part can be inserted from either side of the head to be fitted into the head, and thus the filament part can be formed in a ring-shape in one-touch operation by connection of the head and the joining part, so that it can be effectively used when various indication cards (tags) such as a price tag and so on are mounted to goods, such as handbags, bags, footwear, for example, sandals, and so on, having string-shaped portions, and holes such as button holes and a combination of connecting bodies in the form of chain is used to connect to a show shelf goods being shown.
By the way, when such filament-shaped connecting body is to be used, there is the need of an operation of encircling the connecting body around a handle of, for example, a handbag or the like, fitting the joining part into the hole of the head for connection in a state which the joining part of one connecting body is throughout into the hole of the indication card. However, such connecting operation requires manipulation by both hands because it is necessary to hold goods and the head with one hand and to manipulate the joining part with the other hand, and so such manipulation is troublesome and inefficient, so that various mount devices have been investigated, which is capable of performing such operation.
Mount devices have been proposed in, for example, Japanese Patent Publication Nos. 35489/1988 and 14704/1991. The-mount device described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 35489/1988 includes a grip part and a grip rod, which are connected at central portions thereof to each other to provide a construction like nippers as a whole. The head and the joining part are connected between a latch guiding arm being an extension of the grip part and a movable arm being an extension of the grip rod to present a state, in which goods is grasped.
However, such device gets in a state, in which it interposes a portion of goods between the grip part and the grip rod, to push the goods to possibly damage the same, and moreover the filament part is disposed between the latch guiding arm and the movable arm to be arranged in a U-shaped configuration, so that there is produced no space, into which a portion of goods having mounted thereto an indication card is inserted, that is, xe2x80x9cspacexe2x80x9d, in which the mounting operation is performed. Also, there is involved a problem that the operation becomes quite troublesome since the filament part having been bent into a U-shape above the mount device will contact with goods when the device is to be manipulated.
On the other hand, with the arrangement described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 14704/1991, a lower beak is provided in such a manner that manipulation of a lever causes the same to come toward and away from an upper beak provided forwardly of a body, and the both beaks are provided with guide grooves, respectively, whereby upon forward and rearward operations of a single pulley cause a belt-shaped article connected to the pulley to alternately enter into the guide grooves of the upper and lower beaks to thereby feed a head of a filament-shaped connecting body to a side of the upper beak and feed a joining part to a side of the lower beak, and to subsequently make the lower beak approach the upper beak to connect the head and the joining part to each other.
Since such device uses the single pulley to alternately guide the head and the joining part of the filament-shaped connecting body into the upper and lower beaks, however, it is necessary to precisely and rapidly grasp the head or the joining part at a tip end of the flexible body, and further the opening and closing motions of the lower beak relative to the upper beak are added to require a considerably complex movement, so that there are involved failure in a motion for receiving the head or the joining part, failure in the connecting motion or the like, and further a problem in durability in terms of mechanisms.
Also, a similar device has been proposed in Japanese patent application Kokai publication No. 310520/1996, which comprises a reception guide for guiding a L-shaped head in front of a body and an insertion guide so that a belt is used to insert the head into the reception guide and a pipe provided at a tip end of a piston supports the insertion part and is forced into the insertion guide together with an inserting part.
With such device, however, the reception guide projects in front of the body at all times to be liable to interfere with the connecting operation, and the forcing-in operation is unstable since the head is forced into the reception guide by the belt. Further, because connecting bands arranged on both sides of the filament-shaped connecting body are inserted into guide holes, which are provided on both sides of a forward portion of the body in a longitudinal direction, and the lower connecting band is struck out, so that there is a problem that the filament-shaped portion bends over a top surface of the body to easily cause the filaments to get entangled, thus tending to causing a trouble.
As described above, conventional mount devices involve various problems, and are not products that are entitled to be salable.
A first requirement in developing such mount device for filament-shaped connecting bodies is the capability of simply loading a collecting body of a multiplicity of filament-shaped connecting bodies into the device and separating individual filament-shaped connecting bodies from the collecting body to rapidly feed them to a part where the connection operation is performed.
A second requirement is the capability of forming an adequate space (bosom portion or distance for receiving an article, to which a filament-shaped connecting body is mounted), which can receive an article, to which a filament-shaped connecting body go around, and inhibiting filament portions from getting entangled.
A third requirement is to surely convey a collecting body of a multiplicity of filament-shaped connecting bodies in front of the body and rapidly make them assume a striking posture.
A mount method, a mount device and a collecting body of a multiplicity of filament-shaped connecting bodies, according to the invention are directed to providing a device that can solve the above-mentioned various problems of the prior art.
1) To attain the above-mentioned object, a method for connection of filament-shaped connecting bodies, according to the invention, and for loading into a mount device a collecting body of a multiplicity of filament-shaped connecting bodies L connected in parallel between two flexible members J, J through connecting parts c of reduced cross section, the filament-shaped connecting bodies comprising a filament part f, a head h formed on one end of the filament part and having a latch hole b therethrough, and a joining part k formed on the other end of the filament part and adapted to fit into the latch hole b to elastically engage therewith, and for fitting the joining part k into the latch hole b of the head h for connection, the method comprising the steps of:
loading heads h and joining parts k, which are arranged on the flexible members J, J of the collecting body of filament-shaped connecting bodies L, into a head groove 6b and a join groove 6a extended from a rear portion of a body 2 of the mount device 1 to a forward portion thereof, respectively, supporting filament parts f in a state, in which they are bent in a U-shaped manner to project laterally of the body 2, and feeding the collecting body forwardly of the body 2 from rearwardly thereof;
receiving a head h into a head support part 4d of a head conveying arm 4 in a position in front of the body 2 and spaced a distance, which receives an article being subjected to mounting, from an axis of a hollow needle 5 projecting in a forward portion of the body 2;
having the head conveying arm 4 approaching the axis of the hollow needle 5 along a predetermined path from the position spaced from the hollow needle 5 while advancing the head conveying arm 4, and having the head h standing by at a tip end of the hollow needle; and
causing a rod 10 provided on a piston 9 to force the joining part k into the hollow needle 5 at an inlet of the hollow needle to push the same out of a discharge port and to fit the joining part k into the latch hole b of the head h to connect the filament part f into the latch hole b of the head h, which has stood by immediately before the discharge port, in a ring-shaped manner.
2) The method for connection of filament-shaped connecting bodies described in 1), further comprises the step of feeding from rearwardly of the mount device 1 two flexible members J, J disposed on both sides of a multiplicity of filament-shaped connecting bodies L arranged in parallel to cause them to go around a joining part feed gear 14a and a head feed gear 14b, which are disposed in a forward portion of the mount device 1, and move rearward and to be conveyed along a laterally directed path, and
in the above step causing the head conveying arm 4 to grasp one of the heads h in a position where the flexible members J, J go around peripheral surfaces of the two gears 14a, 14b, causing the rod 10 provided on a tip end of the piston 9 to force one of the joining parts k into the hollow needle 5 provided in a forward portion of the mount device 1 to fit the joining part k into the latch hole b of the head h, which has stood by immediately before the discharge port of the hollow needle 5, to thereby connect the filament part f in a ring-shaped manner.
3) A mount device for connection of filament-shaped connecting bodies, according to the invention, comprises a lever 3 supported on a forward portion of a grip part 2c of a hollow body 2 to appear and disappear, an intermediate lever 3A driven by the lever 3, a piston 9, which is guided to move in a forward and backward direction of the body 2 and with which the intermediate lever 3A engages, a rod 10 extended forward from the piston 9 for pushing out a joining part k, a hollow needle 5 disposed axially of the rod 10 to be mounted in the body 2, a gear feed lever 12 adapted to turn upon reciprocation of the piston 9, a joining part feed gear 14a and a head feed gear 14b, which are disposed in a forward end portion of the body 2, ratchet wheels 15a, 15b, respectively, provided adjacent the both gears 14a, 14b, feed pawls 12f, 12g incorporated into pawl support parts 12d, 12e provided at a tip end of the gear feed lever 12 and adapted to mesh with the ratchet wheels 15a, 15b, respectively, a head groove 6b and a join groove 6a, which are formed to communicate to feed positions of the joining part k and of the head h on peripheral surfaces of the joining part feed gear 14a and the head feed gear 14b, and a head conveying arm 4 driven by the piston 9 and supported by a swinging linkage including a parallel linkage,
and wherein the head conveying arm 4 grasps a foremost head h in a position of the head feed gear 14b, to which filament-shaped connecting bodies L are supplied, and moves the same along a predetermined path by means of a linkage supporting the head conveying arm 4 to make the same stand by immediately before a discharge port of the hollow needle 5, and in the mean time the rod 10 projecting at a tip end of the piston 9 causes a foremost joining part k in a position of the joining part feed gear 14a, to which filament-shaped connecting bodies L are supplied, to be inserted and latched into the latch hole b of the head h grasped by the head conveying arm 4.
4) The mount device for connection of filament-shaped connecting bodies, described in 3), is constructed such that heads h and joining parts k of filament-shaped connecting bodies L are intermittently pushed out to be connected to each other by the gripping operation of the lever 3, which is provided on a forward portion of a grip part 2c of the body 2 of the mount device 1 in a manner to be elastically pushed out;
the gripping operation of the lever 3 causes the gear feed lever 12 to turn interlocking with advancement of the piston 9, and stores an elastic force in a spring 12h connected to the gear feed lever 12 upon turning of the gear feed lever 12, and the releasing operation of the lever 3 causes the gears 14a, 14b to rotate making use of the elastic force of the spring 12h; 
and the gear feed lever 12 stores an elastic force in the spring 12h in a former stage of the turning, and in a latter stage performs connection of the head h and the joining part k with each other in a state, in which the elastic force is preserved in the spring 12h, and releases the elastic force from the spring 12h upon the releasing operation of the lever 3 to thereby convey the filament-shaped connecting bodies L.
5) The mount device for connection of filament-shaped connecting bodies, described in 3), is constructed such that the gear feed lever 12 comprises a guide surface 12E for inclining the lever 12 interlocking with advancement of the piston 9 in a former stage of the gripping operation of the lever 3 to store an elastic force in a spring 12h, and a guide surface 12K contiguous to the guide surface 12E in a doglegged configuration for maintaining a posture of the lever 12 in a latter stage of the gripping operation during advancement of the piston 9, and a guide body 12L, which is turnably provided to cooperate with the guide surface 12E to assume a V-shape and of which a tip end is contiguous to the guide surface 12K;
an elastic force is stored in the spring 12h while an actuating part 11 adapted to move on the guide surface 12E together with the piston 9 moves, connection of a connecting body L is carried out while the actuating part 11 moves on the guide surface 12K, a posture of the lever 12 is maintained while the actuating part 11 moves on a guide surface of the guide body 12L, and when the actuating part 11 gets out of an end of the guide body 12L. the elastic force of the spring 12h causes the gear feed lever 12 to swing to move a filament-shaped connecting body L to a succeeding striking position.
6) In the mount device for connection of filament-shaped connecting bodies, described in 3), the joining part feed gear 14a and the head feed gear 14b are provided in a forward portion of the body 2, and paths are formed in the body 2, along which flexible members J, J are caused to engage with halves of peripheries of the both gears 14a, 14b, and are discharged.
7) The mount device for connection of filament-shaped connecting bodies, described in 3), comprises pawl support parts 12d, 12e, respectively, formed on a tip end of the gear feed lever 12 in a bifurcate manner, and feed pawls 12f, 12g provided on and supported by the pawl support parts 12d, 12e to mesh with ratchet wheels 15a, 15b, respectively, which are provided adjacent the joining part feed gear 14a and the head feed gear 14b, and to project forward by elastic forces.
8) The mount device for connection of filament-shaped connecting bodies, described in 3), comprises a first base plate 20 and a second base plate 22 arranged in parallel between a righthand body 2a and a lefthand body 2b, which constitute the body 2, the joining part feed gear 14a and the head feed gear 14b being disposed on a forward portion of one surface of the first base plate 20, a head groove 6b and a join groove 6a provided in a longitudinal direction of the body 2 in a manner to communicate to feed surfaces of the joining part feed gear 14a and the head feed gear 14b, the rod 10 being provided on the piston 9 in a manner to move transversely in a diametrical direction of the joining part feed gear 14a, the hollow needle 5 being disposed forwardly axially of the rod 10, the second base plate 22 being provided on one surface thereof with a guide groove 9A for guiding the piston 9, and with a first link 17, a second link 18, a third link 4b and fourth links 4a, 4axe2x80x2, which are driven by the piston 9, the head conveying arm 4 pivotally mounted to upper ends of the third link 4b and of the fourth links 4a, 4axe2x80x2defining a parallel linkage, and further the mount device comprises the gear feed lever 12, the ratchet wheels 15a, 15b driven by the gear, feed lever 12, and the joining part feed gear 14a and the head feed gear 14b, which are fixed to shafts of the ratchet wheels 15a, 15b. 
9) The mount device for connection of filament-shaped connecting bodies, described in 8), a stoppage mechanism for maintaining a position where parts constituting the parallel linkage inclines foremost.
10) In the mount device for connection of filament-shaped connecting bodies, described in 8), the stoppage mechanism is actuated upon contact of an end of at least one of the fourth links 4a, 4axe2x80x2with a shaft 14h of the head feed gear 14b. 
11) The mount device for connection of filament-shaped connecting bodies, described in 8), comprises a stoppage member provided between the head conveying arm 4 and the body 2 to prevent vibration in a position where the head conveying arm 4 is returned.
12) In the mount device for connection of filament-shaped connecting bodies, described in 8), the stoppage member comprises members for providing magnetic attraction and fixing between the head conveying arm 4 and the body 2.
13) The mount device for connection of filament-shaped connecting bodies, described in 3), comprises a manual feed roller 19 arranged midway between the ratchet wheels 15a, 15b to drive them.
14) The mount device for connection of filament-shaped connecting bodies, described in 8), further comprises stoppers 24, 24A arranged on sides of the ratchet wheels 15a, 15b, and a stopper release body 8A for releasing engagement between the stoppers 24, 24A and the joining part feed gear 14a and the head feed gear 14b. 
15) A collecting body of filament-shaped connecting bodies, applied to the invention, a collecting body is made by integral molding of a synthetic resin, and composed of filament-shaped connecting bodies L, which comprise a filament part f, a head h disposed on one end of the filament part and formed centrally thereof with extending through a latch hole b, and a joining part k disposed on the other end of the filament part, the head h and the joining part k being disposed between two flexible members J, J with connecting parts c of reduced cross section therebetween, the latch hole b of the head h extends perpendicularly through a plane, in which the collecting body is disposed, and the joining part k is formed in a direction perpendicular to the plane, in which the collecting body is disposed.
16) The collecting body of filament-shaped connecting bodies, described in 15), comprises latch pawls t provided on both sides of an outlet of the latch hole b extending through the head h and opposed to each other.